Cape Coast, Winneba to mark Independence Day with sanitation march

Cape Coast and Winneba will commemorate this year’s Independence Day with a march against poor sanitation, as part of efforts to combat the ongoing cholera outbreak in the two coastal cities.

Central Regional Minister, Mr. Ekow Panyin Eduamoah, announced that in addition to extensive clean-up exercises, residents will stage a protest against unhealthy sanitation practices to promote better hygiene. The initiative aligns with the government’s decision to observe a more moderate Independence Day celebration this year.

Mr. Eduamoah made the announcement during a visit to several communities in Cape Coast to assess the sanitation situation amid the cholera outbreak. His tour exposed severe sanitation challenges, including open defecation, choked gutters, and indiscriminate waste disposal, particularly in densely populated areas such as Brofoyedur and Amanful.

In many cases, household toilet facilities were found to be connected to open drains, which were heavily clogged with silt and plastic waste. The seashore had also been turned into a dumping and defecation site, worsening the already dire conditions.

The situation is further exacerbated by an acute water shortage in the area. The Minister and his team observed people cooking and selling food near open, sewage-filled drains, raising serious health concerns.

Expressing shock at the extent of the poor sanitation, Mr Eduamoah ordered immediate intervention measures to mitigate the crisis and curb the spread of cholera. He directed the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly to deploy water tankers to provide residents with clean water, a crucial step in the fight against the outbreak.

Beyond direct government action, the Minister called on churches and mosques to integrate messages on cleanliness and responsible sanitation behaviour into their sermons.

“If we should leave the education and sensitisation to the environmental and sanitation departments and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) alone, it won’t get anywhere,” Mr. Eduamoah emphasized.

• Reporting by Prince Acquah